Channel Seven case is biggest yet for WordWave in Australia

The case, which is being heard at the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney, focuses on the issue of sports broadcasting rights and is being brought by leading Australian television provider Channel Seven.

The defendants are well-known broadcasters News Ltd, as well as a range of other organisations, including the Australian Football League and National Rugby League.

With so many parties involved, proceedings are likely to be both complex and lengthy, and the case is expected to last up to twelve months. In an effort to speed things up, the key players have asked for WordWave’s help.

WordWave’s real-time service combines high quality stenography with specialist software to provide a live, verbatim record of what’s being said. A reporter transcribes proceedings, while an editor makes corrections. The transcript appears instantly, allowing those taking part to see and annotate the text on a PC or laptop, either in the courtroom or at a remote location.

At the end of each session, all parties have a good quality draft of the day’s transcript to work on immediately. WordWave then edits it, adding in readings and corrections, delivering a final version within two or three hours.

The Channel Seven case is the largest WordWave has undertaken in Australia so far, with around 100 separate laptop and PC connections, not just in court but also beyond.

“This is just the kind of case that has been shown to benefit most from our real-time service,” says Jayne Perry, Deputy Managing Director of WordWave International and Managing Director of WordWave Pty Ltd. “We know it can significantly shorten proceedings, by making it much easier for those taking part to process information, manage the evidence and prepare for each stage of the case. So we’re confident that we can help get this matter resolved more quickly and efficiently than would otherwise be the case.”

Real-time can also further reduce costs and speed up proceedings by enabling expert witnesses to give evidence remotely, rather than appearing in person. And it’s not just court hearings that can benefit – the service has proved invaluable at public inquiries (including the Bloody Sunday hearings in Northern Ireland and long-running Hong Kong airport inquiry), as well as at arbitrations, depositions and a range of other formal proceedings.

In addition to real-time, WordWave also offers a range of other services to clients in Australia, including daily court reporting, digital recording and transcription and subtitling. For more information, contact Julia Grainger at: julia.grainger@wordwave.co.au or in Australia on 03 9 642 1429.